The purpose of this research is to test two staged theoretical models which present two competing theoretical explanations for elder abuse: (1) the conceptual base provided by Dramaturgic Theory, Social Exchange Theory, Family Interaction Theory and Symbolic Interactionism which support the theoretical assertion that the interactional context of a social situation has a more profound impact on behavioral expressions than does the situational context, and (2) the alternate empirically derived theory base which attributes caregiver behaviors to the effects of situational factors such as caregiver stress, physical dependence and mental status of the elder and social supports. Elder abuse is operationalized in this study as (1) the Quality of Elder Caring and (2) the Caregiving Management Strategies that caregivers use when interacting with frail, community-dwelling elders. Elder-caregiver dyads constitute the unit of analysis for the study. These dyads (N = 250) will be recruited from individuals currently being served by home health agencies in the Phoenix and Tucson areas and from individuals who respond to advertising in local newspaper, bulletin boards and radio stations. To assure maximum variation of the dependent variables, the sample will include those elder-caregiver dyads whose care-giving situation is characterized by abuse as well as those whose situation is characterized by excellent care. Data will be obtained from in-home interviews with the caregiver and in-home observations of the elder and the elder's quality of care. Causal modeling using regression analysis and structural equations will be the principal data analysis technique used for model testing along with critical tests of between model differences. The information this study will yield will provide a theory base that nurses can use to identify high-risk elder-caregiver dyads and to plan nursing interventions directed at ameliorating some of the factors associated with elder abuse.